List Of Governors Of Kwara State (1967-Present)

This guide offers a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of leadership in Kwara State, Nigeria. It provides a complete list of the governors who have led the state since its formation in 1967, Including the political affiliations of each governor.

You will also learn about the first military and civilian governor of the state, plus their contributions to Kwara State’s development.

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Complete List Of Past And Current Governors Of Kwara State

Name	Began Tenure	Ended Tenure	Party
David Bamigboye	28 May 1967	July 1975	Military
Ibrahim Taiwo	Jul 1975	13 Feb 1976	Military
Sunday Ifere	July 1978	October 1979	Military
Adamu Atta	October 1979	October 1983	NPN
Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo	October 1983	December 1983	UPN
Salaudeen Latinwo	January 1984	August 1985	Military
Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru	August 1985	December 1987	Military
Ahmed Abdullahi	December 1987	July 1988	Military
Ibrahim Alkali	July 1988	December 1989	Military
Alwali Kazir	December 1989	January 1992	Military
Shaaba Lafiaji	January 1992	November 1993	SDP
Mustapha Ismail	9 Dec 1993	14 Sep 1994	Military
Baba Adamu Iyam	14 September 1994	22 August 1996	Military
Peter A.M. Ogar	22 August 1996	August 1998	Military
Rasheed Shekoni	August 1998	29 May 1999	Military
Mohammed Lawal	29 May 1999	29 May 2003	ANPP
Bukola Saraki	29 May 2003	29 May 2011	PDP
Abdulfatah Ahmed	29 May 2011	29 May 2019	PDP
Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman	29 May 2019	Incumbent	APC

Who Was The First Military Governor of Kwara State?

Brigadier General Femi David Bamigboye was the first military governor of Kwara State. He served from May 1967 to July 1975, following the state’s creation during General Yakubu Gowon’s military regime.

Born on December 7, 1940, in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria, Bamigboye hailed from the Igbomina ethnic group. During his tenure, Bamigboye initiated different developmental projects and policies to improve the state’s infrastructure and social services.

In 1968, he established the Kwara State Ministry of Education, which included a department to handle scholarship and bursary matters.

Besides, in 1971, he announced the building of the Kwara State Polytechnic, which officially began operations in 1972.

Bamigboye also opened new premises for the Ola-Olu Hospital in December 1972, providing accommodation for thirty-five beds.

Under his administration, Bamigboye prioritized the construction of essential infrastructure such as secretariats for civil servants, waterworks for drinking water provision, and roads including the Oyo Bypass Road (now Ibrahim Taiwo Road) in Ilorin.

He also focused on expanding educational opportunities by setting up government secondary schools and technical colleges across the state.

Again, Bamigboye laid the groundwork for healthcare delivery services by building general hospitals in major towns and healthcare centers in rural areas.

Beyond infrastructure and social services, Bamigboye facilitated the establishment of various state-owned enterprises to stimulate economic growth and development.

These included the Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation, Gateway Insurance Company, Kwara State Investment Corporation, Kwara Paper Converters, and Kwara Food Production Company, among others.

READ ALSO: List Of Governors Of Sokoto State (1967-Present)

Who was The First Civilian Governor In Kwara State?

The first civilian governor of Kwara State was Alhaji Adamu Atta. He held this position during the Second Republic, representing the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Atta, born on October 18, 1927, in Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria, belonged to the Indigenous peoples of Ebira land. His father, warrant chief Ibrahima Atta, had significant authority under the British Native Authority system.

Atta’s tenure as governor was seen by numerous achievements and initiatives aimed at developing Kwara State. He oversaw the construction of several major projects, including Kwara Hotels Phase II, specialist hospitals, the Secretariat Phase III (now the Governor’s office), and the Kwara Civil Service Clinic.

Additionally, he introduced the idea of establishing a community bank in 1981, which later led to the formation of Trade Bank Plc in 1987.

Before moving into politics, Atta pursued his education at Achimota School in Ghana and the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.

He worked as a civil servant before entering politics and ascending to the position of governor. Atta is remembered as a popular governor who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the people of Kwara State.

READ ALSO: List Of Governors Of Zamfara State (1996-Present)

Who Is The Current Governor Of Kwara State?

The current governor of Kwara State is AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq since May 29, 2019, after winning the governorship election.

AbdulRazaq was born on February 5, 1960, in Zaria, which was part of the Northern Region of British Nigeria and is now in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

He’s a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party. AbdulRazaq had a career in business before entering politics. He was the CEO of First Fuels Limited. However, his political career began in 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy.

He contested unsuccessfully for the governorship election in Kwara State in 2003, 2007, and 2011 under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) political party.

Yet, in 2019, he contested again under the APC and emerged victorious, winning the governorship election. In 2021, he introduced KwaraLEARN in basic education to empower teachers, and by May 2023, he declared the program one of his best policies ever.

AbdulRazaq’s leadership has also been recognized on a national level. On May 24, 2023, he was elected as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, succeeding the former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.